House & Theater District

Native to the southeastern United States, oakleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub, with deep green foliage during the growing season turning wine-colored in the autumn. The panicles of white flowers bloom through June and into July fading to pink and finally a handsome russet in the fall. Growing to eight feet high with an equal spread and does well in sun or shade. Hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9, this hydrangea prefers moist, fairly rich, well-drained soil to grow.

Ginkgo biloba, often called the maidenhair tree, is a living fossil and the last surviving member of a plant lineage that dates back over 200 million years. Native to China, where it’s long been cultivated around temples and sacred sites, the ginkgo has since found homes in cities around the world thanks to its resilience to pollution and pests. Its fan-shaped leaves turn a brilliant gold in autumn, drawing admirers even to quiet cemeteries where some of the oldest specimens can be found. The tree’s fruit, actually a seed with a fleshy outer coating gives off an infamously pungent odor when ripe, but inside lies an edible nut valued in East Asian cuisine. Extracts from the ginkgo’s leaves are also widely used in modern herbal medicine, often promoted for supporting memory and cognitive health. Ancient yet enduringly adaptable, the ginkgo remains a striking reminder of nature’s ability to survive and thrive across the ages.

The bald cypress is a remarkable tree native to the southeastern United States, especially thriving in the swampy bayous and river floodplains of the Gulf Coast. Despite being a conifer, it is a deciduous tree meaning it drops its soft, feathery needles each fall, earning it the name “bald” cypress. In autumn, its foliage transforms into a stunning rusty orange, Its famous “knees” or woody projections that rise from its roots help the tree survive in waterlogged soils. The bald cypress provides vital habitat for herons, wood ducks, owls, and turtles, offering nesting sites and shelter among its trunks. Both ancient and resilient, it’s a true icon of America’s wetlands!  The elegant bald cypress allée (aka Flower Garden Drive), stretches in parallel rows, originally planted by the Peirce brothers in the 19th century and later enhanced and preserved by Pierre S. du Pont in the early 20th century. Today, the towering trees frame a tranquil vista that is ablaze of fall color each year,  a living legacy of vision, history, and natural beauty.  Be sure to check out the bonsai specimen in the Bonsai Courtyard!  

Chrysanthemum 'Hillside Sheffield' is a charming, hardy perennial known for its soft, apricot-pink daisy-like blooms that appear in late fall, often blooming well into November. Beloved by pollinators and gardeners alike, it adds a welcome splash of color when most other flowers are fading. This heirloom variety is known as a Korean hybrid, and has since become a cottage garden favorite for its easygoing nature and graceful, informal habit. Once established, 'Hillside Sheffield' returns year after year, thriving in full sun with minimal fuss. 

Osmanthus heterophyllus is a broadleaf, evergreen shrub, indigenous to Korea, Taiwan and Japan, with glossy, deep green leaves with spines that resemble hollies. The little white blossoms that appear in October and November fill the garden with fragrance.  ‘Gulftide’ is a selection that grows to 5 feet tall and 3 feet across. It thrives in either sun or partial shade, and any type of soil, even dense clay.  Holly osmanthus is not eaten by deer and has no serious pests or diseases and can be cultivated as an individual specimen, combined with other shrubs, or shaped into a lovely hedge.

Amsonia hubrichtii, brings a golden glow to the autumn garden as its fine, feathery green foliage turns brilliant yellow. This perennial native to Arkansas and Oklahoma also produces clusters of pale blue, star-shaped flowers in spring. Its name honors Leslie Hubricht, who encountered the plant in Arkansas in 1942, a lasting botanical tribute to a naturalist best known for his work with freshwater and land snails.